


Chance Meeting

by Bella_Monoxide



Category: Mass Effect, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: #Rickyl Writers Group, #Trope Assignment, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Fluff, Kisses, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 22:20:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4582263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bella_Monoxide/pseuds/Bella_Monoxide
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan and John are on vacation, when chance meetings lead into something else - eventually...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chance Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> I recently started to read stories written in the Mass Effect fandom, and was fascinated with this pairing. It got me thinking if there are any fusion stories, connecting both Mass Effect and The Walking Dead, but apparently, there are none. So I racked my brain for possible plot ideas, and sat down to write such a story myself.  
> I would love feedback on this story, as it is a huge step for me.  
> If you happen to be a fan of Mass Effect, please let me know your thoughts - and drop me a note about any blunders I might have managed to pull off!

Kaidan Alenko thought that the Apollo Café was quite busy that time of the year when he got back outside, bearing a tray that held their drinks, weaving his way around all the tables. He placed a latte macchiato in front of his husband with a florish, and John Shepard smiled up at him.

"I fought hard to present you with this refreshment, and advise you to cherish it accordingly." He exclaimed theatrically, mocking a curtsey, much to John's amusement.

"Thanks, K." He took a sip and sighed in contentment, while Kaidan sat down next to him. He cast a look over at the occupants that had already been sitting at the next table when he and John had arrived. Their discussion had transformed into a full-blown argument by now, with the curly haired guy trying to get his point across, but obviously unsuccessfully so.

Right then, he sighed deeply and rolled his piercing blue eyes at the woman, who talked rapidly now, an angry expression distorting her delicate features as she shot withering glances at him.

Kaidan could make out fragments of their heated discussion and decided that they were arguing about custody arrangements. He rolled his eyes at John. "You know," he sighed, "this is the kind of crap that I absolutely don't miss when we are working."

"Hm," John agreed, "me neither. But think about it, K. This could be us in a couple years, arguing about how to raise our children," he pointed out, a smile pulling at his mouth. Kaidan, seemingly lost in the view of his husband's full lips, looked up into John's sky blue eyes at that.

He appeared to be speechless, and his own eyes misted over from all the emotions set aflutter by that remark. "Gawd," John mumbled as he leaned over, "I love your eyes so much." Kaidan managed a smile that got morphed when his lips met John's.

Their kiss was in no way indecent, but for a Southern State in the United ones, it was not decent enough, either. Not caring much about that, John and Kaidan continued their kiss while the female part of the arguing couple nagged to her assumably ex-husband about their public display of affection.

When they parted again, it was John's turn to roll his eyes, and he whispered before their faces where too far apart. "If she does not shut up about us soon, I'll give her a piece of my mind."

Knowing each other as well as they did, Kaidan nodded. "Yeah. Like, what would you prefer, a couple arguing like them, or two people in love, kissing each other with affection?" And with that, both Kaidan and John smiled at each other, sitting back in their chairs to continue drinking coffee and enjoying their time with each other.

After a while, during which the couple had continued arguing back and forth without reaching any agreement, John suddenly stood up and called out to a guy who walked by the café. "Hey! Daryl, hold on a minute!"

John made to run after a rough looking man when the addressed turned around to look over his rather impressive shoulder. As a spark of recognition glimmered in his eyes, he walked up to their table and shook hands with John, who smiled broadly.

"Daryl, meet my husband and better half, Kaidan Alenko." He introduced, looking proud as always in situations where he could show him off, as Kaidan called it, but John insisted time and time again that it was nothing but the truth.

Kaidan secretly suspected that John only did that to make him blush, since he always told him how adorable he looked when he did, then proceeded to kiss him senseless, so he never complained too much about it.

"You have to join us for a drink," John told Daryl, "unless you have an appointment that can't wait?" But Daryl had some time and sat down at their table, since John had insisted on getting his drink for him.

While they waited for John to return, Kaidan and Daryl talked to each other, and Daryl explained how he came to know John. Kaidan remembered how John had told him about that time when his motorcycle had broken down and he had to push it all the way to the next garage, where this hot looking mechanic had worked his magic.

Kaidan had been instantly jealous, but John had smoothed it over by clarifying that he meant on the bike, not himself. Smiling at the memory, Kaidan explained this to Daryl who had asked him what had been so funny.

At first, Daryl snickered, but his features quickly turned into a frown, as he noticed the fighting couple at the next table.

The woman, whose name appeared to be Lori, had her gaze turned away at the moment, but Rick happened to look into their direction when Daryl looked over to find out who was making those angry noises.

Kaidan smiled to himself when he realised what love at first sight must look like from another point of view, because that was exactly what happened right there in front of him as Daryl and Rick locked eyes with each other.

The spell was broken when John chose that specific moment to return with Daryl's coffee, and the three men talked about motorcycles for some time, during which Lori got up to leave Rick.

She appeared to be thinking that she had made him feel bad, if her triumphant expression was anything to go by, but she could not see how Rick only shook his head at her retreating back. He got up and went inside of the café, rolling his eyes on the way, but when he came back out with another drink, his former table had already been re-occupied.

Quick on his feet, Kaidan addressed him. "Excuse me, Rick was the name, right?" When the man turned his head into their direction, Kaidan proceeded to invite him to sit at their table, and with a thankful expression, Rick sank into the chair next to Daryl.

Wrapped up in thanking them, he did not notice the slight blush creeping up Daryl's cheeks as Rick's arm brushed the mechanic's when he sat. But John did, and it answered the question he had in his mind, as he had wondered why Kaidan was so quick to invite the handsome man over.

Apparently, he thought, my sweet husband has had a bout of active sixth sense again, and he smiled to himself as he grabbed Kaidan's hand and squeezed it softly. Kaidan looked at him, with an expression that clearly showed his deep love for John, who could not resist the temptation but kissed him again.

They turned around afterwards, facing Rick and Daryl who both gaped at them. "Ooops," John muttered, "sorry, got carried away."

Kaidan laughed, shaking his head, and John demanded to know what was so funny, but his husband only told him that he got carried away a lot, then. Shaking his head at Kaidan's antics, John answered when Rick asked what they did for a profession.

"We are marine biologists, researching the great whites, but other sharks as well. Just recently, we joined a crew of scientists to try and implant transmitters in those, so we can learn stuff from their movements in the oceans."

"Oh," Rick called out, sounding excited, "isn't that what that actor did once, what's his name again?"

Kaidan chuckled and asked with a wink "the handsome looking one?" When Rick nodded, Kaidan exchanged a knowing look with John, who answered "You mean Paul Walker, the Fast and Furious guy."

Hearing Daryl clear his throat had all three of them looking at the mechanic, who was clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention. "Look, guys," he muttered, "I'm still real sad that he died, so can we please talk about something else?"

"Wait," John asked, a confused look on his face, "are you saying that..?" Daryl nodded and added "Yeah, I'm into guys. Plus, he was, whatcha call it, my type," he air-quoted the term. Kaidan, noticing how Daryl blushed and tried very hard not to look at Rick when he said that, quickly turned the conversation around.

"Well, right now we are on vacation, which is nice, but always a little disturbing as well." Rick asked what he meant by that, and John explained that he and his husband had noticed how in their working surroundings, nobody seemed to notice much that they were two guys in a relationship, whereas everybody else did all the time.

Nodding, Rick mentioned his ex-wife's reaction, to which both John and Kaidan agreed that it was what they meant.

"So does that mean that people in your line of profession are more tolerant than others?" Daryl asked, but John laughed. "No, not exactly. But we found that people working in research, scientists and such, just don't seem to care too much about who you spend your freetime with. They concentrate on getting the work done."

Kaidan nodded. "Plus, universities are usually all about diversity and stuff," he added. "And in our particular branch of research, we work with international crews most of the time." Rick asked if they taught classes as well, and when they confirmed that, he chuckled. "I bet your students line up for extra credits all the time, just to spend more time with you guys."

They all laughed at that, and John used the moment of mirth to ask Rick if he was in a new relationship. When he denied, Kaidan took over. "The way you talked about the actor had me thinking. Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you into men as well?"

Rick cast his eyes down but nodded, blushing slightly. Unnoticed by Rick, Daryl's eyes glazed over at the sight, while Rick continued to tell them that he had fooled around with guys during high school.

Then, after Lori had cheated on him, he had given in and started a relationship with his partner on the force. They broke up eventually, and Shane had moved away.

The silence Rick's tale was followed with got broken by Daryl, who appeared to have woken from his temporary bout of awe to blurt out "Force? What force, exactly?" Rick, taken aback by Daryl's outburst, answered tentatively that he worked with the police in his hometown, which seemed to leave Daryl speechless for a moment.

Rick excused himself and went inside to use the restrooms. The minute he left, both Kaidan and John tried to talk Daryl into asking Rick out, but Daryl confessed that he felt insecure about that.

They talked for a while longer after Rick had returned, but eventually, John and Kaidan had to leave for an appointment. When they had left, not without exchanging numbers with both Rick and Daryl, the cop and the mechanic were at a loss as to how to go from there.

A couple of awkward silences later, Rick asked Daryl why he was so shocked by his profession. Daryl turned all bashful and mumbled something about old habits that are hard to break under his breath, which caused Rick to ask him how he had meant that.

In the end Daryl confessed that his older brother had had some run-ins with the law when he was a teenager, and of course he had taught his brother not to trust the police and all that jazz. When Rick laughed, Daryl grinned at him, happy that Rick did not get mad about it.

Both cast their eyes away, but when Daryl tried to take a covert look at Rick, he found that the cop was already staring at him. Caught off guard like that, Daryl blurted "Wanna go for dinner tonight?" A moment of shock passed, with Rick's eyes wide as he studied Daryl's face.

"You mean," he whispered, "like a date?" Daryl nodded, and a smile lit up Rick's face. "Yes," he answered, "I think I would like that very much." Daryl beamed back at him, lost for words.

Eventually, they went inside to pay, only to find that Kaidan and John had already taken care of that. "Weird," Rick mumbled when they headed to the parking lot together, "And here I was, thinking that you are only rich in knowledge as a scientist," and he shook his head.

Daryl laughed, and added "Yeah, now that you mention it. When I helped John out with his bike, he gave me a very decent tip, too." He turned thoughtful. "Come to think of it, I assumed that he must be some high ranked guy in the army or something, you know?"

"Hm," Rick agreed, "you mean because of the way he's built?" Daryl nodded, and they walked towards the back of the parking lot, both deep in thought. Rick walked up to his car, then turned around to ask Daryl about their date – only to find the mechanic standing a lot closer than he had assumed.

Daryl took another step towards Rick and reached out to tentatively touch his shoulder. When Rick did not show any sign of disagreement, he let his hand wander down Rick's arm. The very moment his hand reached Rick's, the cop opened his own hand to grasp Daryl's, interlacing their fingers.

Smiling, the mechanic leaned towards an unsure looking Rick, who met him halfway all the same, and their lips touched in a sweet kiss. Daryl touched Rick's hair, caressing the curls with one hand while he pulled Rick even closer to his body.

He deepened the kiss, causing Rick to moan softly into Daryl's mouth, and the mechanic felt a strong shiver of arousal running through his entire body. Reluctantly, they ended the kiss, but Daryl continued to hold Rick close, just to make sure that he had not been dreaming.

They agreed on a time and place, assuring each other how much they looked forward to their date in the evening, then parted with another tender kiss.

After Rick had left the parking lot, waving goodbye to Daryl, the mechanic remembered what he had been in town for in the first place and started walking again, but only after he had gotten his phone out to shoot off a text message.

* * *

Someplace else in the same town, John Shepard's phone signaled a new message, and he could not wait to show it to his husband when he would meet him again at the hotel. What he did not know was that said husband received a text message with similar wording half an hour later – only the sender was different.

* * *

**A year later**

Carl came running out of the house, startling both Rick and Daryl when he threw the door shut with a bang, calling out to them "Sorry, 'm late!" as he jumped on his bike to cycle over to his friend's house.

Not too long ago, Rick had voiced his doubts about Carl's friendship being more than that to Daryl, who had tried – and managed to – keep a poker face, telling Rick not to worry too much. Later that day, thinking back to that conversation, he had not been able to hold his laugh inside.

He had suspected Carl to have a relationship way earlier, and had talked about that to him already, while they were out in the woods, where Daryl tried to teach Carl how to hunt. Daryl even went as far as putting condoms into Carl's room – in a spot where Rick would not find them, of course.

He looked over at Rick, who knew what would come even before Daryl opened his mouth, but Daryl said his piece anyway. "You know he is old enough to learn how to ride a motorcycle, Rick."

"Yes, Daryl, I know. But that doesn't mean that I have to let him." Rick sighed, as he reached over to caress little Judith's hand, which was tangled up in Daryl's hair. Their little girl, Rick thought to himself, feeling like he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time.

"You thinking about Lori again?" Daryl asked him quietly, and Rick nodded.

"Can't seem to help it," he answered. "Hm," Daryl rumbled, reaching out to take Rick's hand in his. "I'm not blaming you. Even I still can't believe that Lori died in such a horrible accident." He shifted the little girl around a bit, so he could move closer to Rick, who kissed him softly.

"I am so very glad that we did not have any problems adopting her," Rick whispered, and Daryl could only nod in agreement, thinking how lucky they had been since Lori had left Judith with a babysitter that fateful day, or else they would have ended up mourning not only Carl and Judith's mom, but Judith herself as well.

Later that day, when he tucked Judith into bed, he remembered something that he had wanted to talk to Rick about. "Night, Lil' Asskicker," he whispered, so he would not wake her up again, "I need to tell your daddy something."

And with that, he walked out, leaving the door slightly ajar so they would be able to hear her if she woke up, and went into the living room. He got the latest issue of a specialist periodical that dealt with biology out and skimmed forward in search of the article about Kaidan and John's latest discoveries.

When he showed it to Rick, the cop gasped as a sudden thought hit him, and he sat up straight, piercing Daryl with his bright blue gaze. "We need to tell them. Right now."

It took Daryl a second, but when it hit him as well, he hit his own forehead with an audible smack and went to get both his and Rick's phone. In the end though, they decided to just call one of them together, and it was John who picked up.

After Hellos where exchanged, they told him to put them on speakerphone, and so they were able to hear Kaidan cheer loudly in the background after their announcement. "That cheer you're hearing is nothing," John told them, sounding highly amused, "you should see him dance through the room."

Rick and Daryl laughed, knowing exactly what John was referring to, as they had met in a club once, where they had the hardest time to get Kaidan to leave the dancefloor for longer than five minutes.

Locking eyes with each other, Daryl asked Rick a silent question, and the cop nodded.

"John, Kaidan?" Daryl asked, and when they both answered, he continued. "Would you do us the honour of being our best men?"

Daryl had held the phone away as a precaution, and he was not disappointed, because Kaidan's answer was such a loud yes that he feared it would wake up Judith any second now. But for once, he did not care, as their friends were so happy for them.

He put the phone on the table so he would have both hands free to wrap Rick up in his arms and kiss him passionately, barely noticing Kaidan and John's whooping noises at the other end of the line.

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! One hour late, as the assignment was due at midnight, but to my excuse, I live in Europe (so our midnight happens way sooner than the American midnight) - and I only started writing today.


End file.
